11 Movies You Never Knew Were Actually Based On Real-Life Events

Jess grew up in Oklahoma before moving to New York to become a writer. She has a cat named Agnes.

Have you ever had one of those moments where you felt as if your life was suddenly just like a movie?

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For the real-life folks who inspired each of the flicks below, that’s exactly what happened when their stories made it onto the big screen.

True-story movies run a range of emotions, from inspiring to terrifying or heartbreaking.

Of course, writers and directors do tend to take a few liberties with their translations, especially for those that delve into the supernatural realm. Still, you have to be impressed that even those were able to touch base with reality before going full-on fantasy.

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I have to admit, I was particularly surprised by how the sci-fi flick in #8 was apparently inspired by real life, even if it does sound pretty far fetched.

Take a look to see how many films you probably never realized were actually based on true stories and real events.

1. Chicago

The original 1926 play by Maurine Dallas Watkins got its inspiration from two women named Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner who were both separately tried and acquitted for murder, which Maurine covered as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune.

3. The Great Escape

The film takes plenty of liberties fictionalizing the actual mass escape by prisoners of war during World War II, detailed by Australian fighter pilot Paul Brickhill in his firsthand account.

Most changes were made to increase drama, such as Steve McQueen’s motorcycle stunt (which he specifically requested), while other details were excluded to keep from jeopardizing any future attempted POW escapes.

5. The Exorcist

The adaptation of William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel was based on a 1949 case of demonic possession known as the “Exorcism of Roland Doe” that the author claimed to have heard about while studying at Georgetown University in 1950.

6. Jaws

Though many believed the novel and film were based on the 1916 shark attacks on the Jersey Shore that claimed four lives, author Peter Benchley has stated that he was actually inspired by the 4,500-pound shark captured by shark fisherman Frank Mundus in 1964.

8. The Blob

This one might be especially difficult to believe, but back in 1950, two police officers from Philadelphia claimed to see something like a parachute falling from the sky. When they approached the area to investigate, they saw what they described as a large, purple orb filled with crystals that apparently dissolved after being touched by one of them.

10. A Few Good Men

Aaron Sorkin penned the script after his sister, Debbie, who was a military lawyer in the 1980s, told him about representing a defendant in court who nearly killed a fellow officer when hazing got out of hand.